Maybe Next Time
by MaidMikuruChan
Summary: Duncan and Courtney bump into each other for the first time since graduation. They've stopped lying to themselves, but not to each other. DxC, foodtheftshipping, etc.
1. first time

maybe next time

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><p>"Duncan!" Courtney shouted out as she jumped from the bench she had been sitting on for the past hour. Her Louis Vuitton suitcase wobbled behind her as she juggled her carry-ons, attempting to tear through the large crowds of travelers.<p>

Duncan snapped his neck towards her voice so fast that his hand immediately shot up to rub the back of it in pain. He hadn't heard her voice since graduation day and he wasn't about to ignore it for the soda he had just put a looney in for at the vending machine. "Courtney?"

Heavy breaths poured form her lips as she looked up at the boy she had dated all throughout high school. "What are you doing in Toronto?" she asked, her tone sounding more urgent than she intended it to.

"I—I was out here to visit Gwen's family," he said, ignoring the fact that his soda had fallen into the black tray at the bottom of the machine. "We were just about to catch our flight back." _We gotta act like we're still together... her affair can't hit the fan until Trent's tour is over..._

"Oh," Courtney said, desperately trying to hide the pain in her voice. "So you two finally get together?" _Of course, we all knew you were better off with someone more like you._

"Uh, yeah, we met up after college," he said, continuing to rub his neck. _She tried to save me from the painful drunken nights that followed you leaving for Harvard._

"Where did you end up going?" Courtney cocked her head to the side, _Daddy was right, you did make something of yourself..._

"Just community, nothing special." He gave her a half smile. _I dropped out after a month, I was only there to party and forget about you._

"Hey," she said with a smile as she bumped him with her elbow, "that's better than no college at all." _I'm sure it was better than the six lonely years I spent at in the states..._

"I guess," he said with a shrug. "So, how have you been doin'?" _Probably happy with a giant house and that picket fence you always wanted._

"Oh, well, I graduated at Harvard and started my own firm here in Toronto," Courtney said, trying to sound as excited as possible. _My employees are all assholes and I hate going to court—it reminds me of all your trials I had to go to._

"That's cool," he looked at his feet, searching for something to say—thankfully her two carot diamond ring caught his attention. "So, did you end up meeting someone?" _I bet he's rich as hell, Harvard graduate, CEO of fucking up poor peoples' lives._

"Oh," she began fiddling with her wedding band, "I met a guy when I was looking to buy the office for my firm. He actually sold it to me." _I slept with him so I could get it for cheap._

"That's awesome. Any kids, yet?" _Better than the one-bedroom I share with Gwen's and her obnoxiously large studio._

"No, but we've made sure to get a home that has enough room for little ones when the time is right." _I found out I can't have kids last year, not like Justin would even dream of having a kid._

"I'm glad you found your happy ending," his voice held a bit of genuine happiness. _I bet he's fucking perfect, she wouldn't settle for just anyone._

"Yeah, me too," she said quietly, her voice faltering. _Two__ years of a shit marriage, and then six months of an even more shit live-in separation._

"Well, my flight leaves in about half an hour, so I better go meet up with Gwen," he said distractedly as he checked his watch. _I really don't wanna go, but it'll look suspicious if I don't get there before the plane does._

"Oh, uh, yeah, my ride will be here soon, anyway," she replied, fumbling with her purse to find her phone. _I have to call a taxi and get home before the divorce lawyer gets there._

"I'll see you around?" _I don't know how much longer Gwen and I will be playing house, hopefully I'll be stuck on taking one more flight out here._

"Yeah, of course, just look me up the next time you're here." _Maybe you'll be coming alone next time.._

Duncan gave her a wave as he walked off towards his gate, Courtney did the same and headed in the opposite direction.

_Maybe next time it'll all work out..._

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><p>these days - rascal flatts. youtube it.<p>

~MMC


	2. second time

maybe next time

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><p>Courtney let out a sigh as she blew on the steamy cup between her hands. Duncan had come into town again, in a few moments he would be sitting across from her, a matching paper cup in front of him. At least, she thought he would be, it had been five years since she last saw him—and that was only for a few minutes—he may have just set her up.<p>

Doubt was pushed out of her mind as soon as she lifted her head and saw his eyebrow piercing glisten with the reflection of the sunbeams entering the small café. A smile overtook her features as she heard the booth across from her squeak with the weight of his body.

"Glad you were waiting for me, I wasn't sure if this was the right place," he breathed, pulling off his heavy winter jacket. _I was afraid you wouldn't show up._

"Yeah, this place is pretty unknown," she said with a small laugh. _I was hear twenty minutes early just to make sure I didn't miss you._

His eyes focused on the fingers she had wrapped around her drink. "You and what's-his-name still going?" he asked as he noticed her left ring finger was bare. _I wonder if she killed him... she swore she'd never get divorced, said she'd rather kill a man than divorce 'im._

Courtney jumped slightly as she remembered she had forgotten to put her old wedding set back on. "Oh, one of the stones fell out; thankfully we found the stone and sent the ring to the jeweler's." _That asshole has been married to his modeling agent for two years, he was fucking her for eight._

"Wow, that must have been a bitch to find," Duncan said with a chuckle. _I wish Gwen would lose a stone out of hers so I would have an excuse to take it off her finger._

His wedding band caught her eye and she looked down to avoid his eyes. "I see you're in the married club, too, eh?" _I knew that bitch would make you slap a ring on her before too long._

Duncan took a sip of his drink to think of a good reply. "Yeah, we decided to tie the knot about a year after I saw you last." _Trent's bus crashed in July, we said "I do," in August. Not a coincidence._

"Wow," Courtney commented before gulping down mix of her tears and coffee. "Any kids?" _I bet they got your blue eyes..._

"Just one," Duncan replied, his wedding band feeling heavier than normal. _We gave it up for adoption, she didn't know if it was Trent's or mine. Either way, she didn't want to raise it._

"Thinking about having another?" _You always told me you wanted at least four kids, if any—all or nothing, you would say._

"Nah, one is good for us," he said with a wave of his hand. _Like we have sex._

"I haven't gotten around to starting a family yet," Courtney said quietly as she rubbed her arms. _Adoption is so expensive. Granted, I have the money, but being a young, divorced woman makes it nearly impossible._

"Waiting isn't a bad thing," Duncan said with a shrug. _I'd rather you have no kids than one that isn't mine._

"Yeah, get a college fund around, maybe a bigger place to live if we wanted more," she commented as she finished her coffee. _I have enough saved to put three or four through college—room and board. I might try to adopt since Duncan already has a kid, maybe it will give him an excuse to visit—Uncle Duncan..._

Duncan gulped down the rest of his coffee and offered her a smile. "You'll be a great mom," he said, truth ringing in his tone. _I always wanted you to raise my kids, so I guess it's good I don't have to watch Gwen be a worse mother than you would be._

"Thank you," Courtney said a little too quietly. Tears began pooling behind her eyes, _Fuck you for not coming after me, Duncan. We would have a family together if it weren't for your hard head._

"No need," Duncan said as he began pulling on his jacket. _You didn't have to leave for Harvard. You could've gone to community with me—then my kid would be with me doing awesome shit, not in some foster home in southern Canada._

"I have to get going, too," she said as she noticed his jacket was back on. "My lunch is only an hour, and it'll be up in about five." _I took off work because I knew I would be too upset to do anything._

Duncan grabbed both of their cups and slid out from under the table. As soon as he stood up he told her goodbye, quickly making his exit after throwing their cups into the trash by the door. He was too pissed at himself for not telling her to come back to Muskoka.

Courtney held her forehead in her hands as tears threatened to fall, she should have said something to make him stay.

_Maybe next time it'll all work out_, they told themselves, desperately holding onto that hope just as they had the last time they left each other.

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><p>you asked for it. two more after this.<p>

~MMC


End file.
